Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1887-10-20
WOMAN'S DEPARTMENT.
a CHANGE OF DRESS


1t is reported from Paris that six
married ladies of title have discarded
the conventional dress of their sex and
adopted the attire of men. They are
following the lead of French woman
who has of late made herself conspicu-
Gus by advocating such a change.
which, she contends, is a necessary
preliminary to the emancipation OF
women from restraints that, fatally
handicap them in their competition with
men under tie opportunities afforded
by modern civilization. The New York
Sun. in a lengthy editorial on the sub
ject, observes that the dress of women
has already been assimilated in many
respects to that of men, and so far as
the change has gone it has unquestion-
ably been for the better. Instead Of
the paper-soied shoes of generation
ago. women now wear the heavy soies
which are as requisite to their health as
they are to the health of men.
They no longer trail the petticoats OF
their gowns along the pavements or
tire themselves by holding them up as
they walk abroad. Undertaking
adapted to the changes of the tenn
perature is worn by both sexes. though
the time was when women suffered for
the lack of it in order that their fig
urcs might seem the more ethereal.
OvercOats in cut not much unlike
those Of men are now adopted by
women, and the jersey jacket of the
sailor has been deservedly popular
among them for several years. They
also have affected tailor-made gar
ments fashioned after those of the
male sex, and sailor-hats and Derbys
worn by them are. in all respects, eX-
ccpt it NAV be so far as trimming
goes, the same rs those obtained by
men at their hatters. Something ap-
preaching masculine waistcoat has
also become Il frequent part of wom-
ems attire, and collars and cravats
little different from those of their broth
-ers have been adopted, the material of
their garments, too. being often the
same as that used by the tailors for
men.
All this. observes the writer in the
Sun. has been sensible change, for it
has increased the comfort and adapt
ability Of the garments worn by wom-
en-. and has not lessened their beauty;
while the full dress in which they ap-
pear of an evening was never more
artistic than it is now. As the pro-
cesses of manufacture have been per-
fected.snnd rs chemistry has provided
a greater variety of tones and colors.
the fabrics worn have become more
beautiful, and the opportunities for
striking and harmonious combinations
have vastly increased: Yet these six
French women would cast aside all that
art and science have done for the
identifying of the materials. and for
making more nsthetically satisfactory
the fashioning of their garments. If
Il e conventional European dress of
yHaan. which they would substitute for
that worn by women. were the best
that could be devised for human be-
inc. there might be practical justifica-
ton for its adoption by both sexes.
even at the sacrifice of beauty. If it
were better adapted to all weathers
ard all occupations than the flowing
robes Of women. it would be more har-
monious with the requirements Of this
active age.
But men themselves cry out against
its Inconvenience and its unsuitability
10 their occupations. Trousers are by
no means the ideal garment even for
masculine wear. and il is the trousers
which more especially distinguish the
male from the female attire in our
Western civilization. Something re-
sembling knickerbOckers would be
much more suitable for men than trou-
sers. and if the six French women
really want to benefit the human spe-
cies they had better let them organize
Il movement against trousers rather
than undertake to put trousers on the
sex not now forced by convention to
wear them. The Chinese costume for
men is better. and if women are dis
satisfied with their present attire they
would be wiser to adopt that, with
notifications. which would satisfy their
love of beauty. 1t is flowing and it
admits Of variety of color and ma
tcrial impossible under the conventions
of the European dress for men.
In conclusion. the writer adds that
-'if women continue to compete with
men in all except few of the in
slustries of the world. they must make
some change in their present costume
or else permanently suffer from mani
fest disabilities; but that is no reason
why they should initiate masculine at
tire as it is in the West. Let them
rather use their inventive capacity to
devise Il dress more convenient and
more beautiful, or rather which, to
some extent ut least, satisfies the law
of beauty, rs the dress Of men does not.